Shloka 3

Bhīṣma-nipāta-saṃvāda — Sañjaya’s Report of Bhīṣma’s Fall (भीष्मनिपातसंवादः)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ हते महाप्राज्ञे महेचासे महाबले । महासत्त्वे नरव्याप्रे किमु आसीन्मनस्तव,महाज्ञानी, महाधनुर्धर, महाबली और महान्‌ धैर्यशाली नरश्रेष्ठ भीष्मजीके मारे जानेपर तुम्हारे मनकी कैसी अवस्था हुई?

Transliteration

tasmin hate mahāprājñe mahecāse mahābale | mahāsattve naravyāpre kim u āsīn manas tava ||

Translation

持国王说道：“当那位大智之士——善谋、强大、精于大弓、勇毅无双的人中猛虎——被杀之时，你的心境如何？”

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in him/when he

हतेwhen (he was) slain

महाप्राज्ञेin the very wise (one)

महेचासेin the great archer

महाबलेin the very strong (one)

महासत्त्वेin the great-souled (one)

नरव्याघ्रेin the tiger among men

किम्what

उindeed/then (emphatic particle)

आसीत्was

मनःmind

तवof you/your

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhīṣma

Sañjaya (implied addressee)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of war: even the fall of a supremely virtuous and capable elder like Bhīṣma shakes the inner world of observers. It points to the moral and psychological consequences of adharma-driven conflict, where victory is inseparable from grief and the collapse of revered supports.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing of Bhīṣma’s being struck down, Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions (through Sañjaya’s report) what Sañjaya’s mental state was at that moment—highlighting Bhīṣma’s stature as wise, powerful, and heroic, and setting the emotional tone for the aftermath of his fall.